Since the beginning of the year GMV has been collaborating with the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) to increase the technological satellite-navigation capacity (GNSS) in South Africa. Ahead of the extension to this region of the European navigation system EGNOS, GMV is leading the SATSA project (SBAS Awareness and Training for South Africa), forming part of the European Commission’s 7th Framework Program (FP7).

SATSA offers four training courses, ranging from basic GNSS concepts and SBAS engineering to system operation and service provision in various fields, especially for air navigation. Also included are three trials using testbeds developed by GMV to produce realistic navigation signals apt for use in various fields, including civil aviation.

The third training session, given over to the application of SBAS to aviation, was held in September in the Engineering and Technical Services Center of the Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) in Cape Town, focusing on the operational implementation of SBAS-based Approach Procedures with Vertical Guidance (APV). Among other aspects this session covered the design and validation of these procedures and also the drawing up of safety cases, all necessary steps for implementing the Performance Based Navigation (PBN) strategy, brokered by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO).

As in the previous courses given by GMV this one was attended by representatives from SANSA, ATNS and the South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).